Angela Ahrendts

Dame Angela Jean Ahrendts (born 7 June 1960) is an American-British businesswoman who was previously the senior vice president of retail at Apple Inc. She was the CEO of Burberry from 2006 to 2014. She left Burberry to join Apple in 2014. She was ranked 25th in Forbes ' 2015 list of the most powerful women in the world, 9th most powerful woman in the U.K. in the BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour 100 Power List, and 29th in Fortunes 2014 list of the world's most powerful women in business. She was also a member of the UK's prime minister's business advisory council until it was disbanded in 2016.

Early life Ahrendts was born and raised in New Palestine, Indiana, the third of six children.

She attended New Palestine High School, where she was a varsity cheerleader.

Career Ahrendts moved to New York City to work in the fashion industry. In 1996, she was hired at Henri Bendel by Leslie Wexner to expand Bendel stores to 50 new markets, but the project was cancelled by the board of directors two years later.

Apple On 15 October 2013, it was announced that Ahrendts would leave Burberry in Spring 2014 to join Apple Inc. as a member of its executive team as senior vice president of retail and online stores, filling the spot vacated by John Browett in October 2012. On 1 May 2014, she was placed on the Apple Leadership roster.

According to Apple's 2015 proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Ahrendts earned over $70 million in 2014, more than any other executive at Apple, including CEO Tim Cook. As of August 2016, she is reported to own approximately US$11 million worth of Apple shares.

On 5 February 2019, Apple announced that she would leave the company in April to be replaced by Deirdre O'Brien.

Board memberships Ahrendts is a non-executive board member of Save the Children, Ralph Lauren Corporation, Airbnb and Charity: Water. As of 1 July 2020, she is also a non-executive member of the board of WPP plc.

Awards and memberships 2000: Crain's New York "Rising Stars 40 under 40" 2010: Awarded honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Ball State. 2010–present: Prime Minister's Business Advisory Group, Member 2010: CNBC European Business Leader of the Future 2010: Oracle World Retail Awards, Outstanding Leadership Award 2011: St George's Society of New York, Medal of Honor 2011 (also 2010): Financial Times Top 50 Women in World Business 2011: Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Honorary Fellow 2013: Business of Fashion BoF 500 2013: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, a DBE for services to British business. Made substantive in 2023. 2013 (also 2010, 2011): Fortunes Businesspeople of the Year (2010, 2011, 2013) 2013: Ranked #4 in Fortunes 2013 top people in business 2013: Financial Times Women of 2013 2013 (also 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012): Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women in the World 2013: 9th most powerful woman in the United Kingdom by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4 2014 (also 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013): Fortunes 50 Most Powerful Women in Business

Personal life Ahrendts met her husband, Gregg Couch, while they were in elementary school, and they were high school sweethearts. The couple has three children. When she was working at Burberry, the family lived in a home on an plot west of London. Brought up a Methodist, she is still an active Christian.